Certain refrigerator appliances include an icemaker. The icemaker receives liquid water and freezes such liquid water to generate ice cubes. The ice cubes are generally directed to an ice bucket where the ice cubes are stored prior to consumption. To maintain a sufficient supply of ice cubes in the ice bucket, the icemaker can initiate an ice making cycle to replenish a diminished ice cube supply. For example, certain icemakers include a feeler arm that determines when an ice cube level in the ice bucket drops below a certain height. The icemaker initiates the ice making cycle when the ice cube level drops below the height.
Feeler arms are generally positioned at a top portion of the ice bucket such that the feeler arm can rotate over the ice bucket and impact ice cubes when the ice bucket is full. Feeler arms can operate reliably to determine the ice level within the ice bucket. However, feeler arms can occupy a significant volume above the ice bucket and limit an ice storage capacity of the ice bucket.
Accordingly, an ice making system with features for determining an ice level within an ice bucket of the ice making system while occupying a small volume of space would be useful. In addition, an ice making system with features for determining an ice level within an ice bucket of the ice making system while not significantly limiting a size of the ice bucket would be useful.